Smoothie bowls, buddha bowls, sashimi bowls… Bowls of all kinds are taking the foodie world by storm, and it is not hard to guess why. Balanced, healthy, nutritious, and easily customizable, bowls make a simple and yummy lunch or dinner. Among them is the poke bowl. Rice topped with raw or slightly marinated fish, vegetables, beans, and whatever the chef’s imagination allows, poke bowls originated in Hawaii and exported its popularity to all the corners of the world. Traditionally, a poke bowl’s main elements include filleted and cubed raw fish, sea salt, seaweed, and roasted candlenut. However, as the recipe traveled further into the United States of America and became increasingly popular, it evolved into a dish with more ingredients influenced by Japanese and Southeast Asian cuisines. Sounds yummy? Here is our list of places where to get poke bowls in Macau.
Healthy Habits Superfood Cafe
(See featured image above)
Macau’s mecca for fitness addicts and healthy lifestyle followers, Healthy Habits Superfood Cafe manages to serve guilt-free food that is also delicious. Catering to vegan, gluten-free, keto, and just well-balanced diets, they have a diverse menu that even includes desserts. Obviously, the desserts are healthy as well.
When it comes to poke bowls, they offer not one, but two types–salmon and tuna. Both are basic poke recipes with fresh and high-quality ingredients. Toppings include avocado puree, cherry tomatoes, mango, and cubed raw fish of your choice. Everything is sprinkled with sesame seeds. To make it even healthier, they use either brown rice or quinoa as a base.
If you meticulously calculate your daily calorie intake, you would appreciate that Healthy Habits always mention the calories and nutrition value in all their dishes. All the details are on the menu. Another significant advantage is that you can order it delivered to your door. Just send them a message in WhatsApp or WeChat.
Healthy Habits Superfood Cafe R/C A, 203 Avenida Comercial de Macau, Edifício La Bahia, Macau, +853 2859 3386, www.facebook.com/healthyhabitscafe
Photo credit: Ksenia Kuzmina
Cha Bei
Named after a teacup and dedicated to all things about tea drinking, Cha Bei at Galaxy Macau is also a restaurant with flawless service and plenty of dishes that you want to come back for. Besides, the interior is stylish and well-thought, so even sitting in their plush chairs surrounded by the teacup collection and design pieces would bring you both satisfaction and tons of Instagram content.
Among the various healthy options they offer, there is the poke bowl. Presented as an art object, it has brown rice as a base, lightly marinated salmon, edamame, tobiko, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and pickled cabbage. Everything is wrapped with evenly sliced pieces of creamy avocado, topped with nori, and sprinkled with crispy rice. Altogether, it’s a stunning plate with exceptional ingredients and a perfect combination of flavors and textures.
Cha Bei 1047, 1/F, Galaxy Macau, Avenida Marginal Flor de Lotus, Cotai, Macau, +853 8883 2221, www.galaxymacau.com
Photo credit: Ksenia Kuzmina
Nami Poké Macao
A small takeaway shop in the alleyway of Cathedral Parish, Nami Poké has been open since April 2020. Here, they focus on poke and poke only. To satisfy your cravings, order one of their signature bowls–rainbow nami with salmon, vegetarian pokecado, or chasing the dragon with tuna. Feeling like selecting every element of your lunch yourself? Then, customize your own poke bowl by picking the size (small, medium, or large), the base (vinegar rice, leaf, half and half), and the toppings. In the end, choose one or two sauces, from sweet to spicy ones.
There are no tables around, but St. Francisco Garden is a few steps away. Walk down Rua Nova à Guia until you reach it. A tranquil green harbor in the middle of busy Macau downtown, it is full of benches to take a pause at and enjoy an afternoon lunch brought from Nami Poké.
Nami Poké Macao 6-8 Calçada da Surpresa, Macau, +853 6300 1003, www.facebook.com/namipokemo
Photo credit: Ksenia Kuzmina
Coast
Laidback vibes and the menu full of fresh comfort food – this is why we love Coast at MGM Cotai! Serving mainly Western delights such as salads, burgers, salads, and BBQ, they also have Macanese and Portuguese options. Here, they go the extra mile to source the best products to cook with.
Their poke bowl is not overloaded with dozens of ingredients, making it a perfectly balanced dish, both in terms of flavors and textures. Fluffy Japanese rice is topped with fresh cucumbers, creamy avocado, mayo, crunchy onion, marinated ginger, chopped spring onions, and ponzu-marinated ahi tuna. Must-try!
Coast MGM Cotai, Avenida da Nave Desportiva, Cotai, +853 8806 2328, www.mgm.mo/en/cotai/dining/coast
Photo credit: Ksenia Kuzmina
Hawaiian Poke Bowl
Tucked away in a quiet patio, Hawaiian Poke Bowl is a tiny eatery with friendly service and customizable poke bowls. To select the bowl of your dreams, follow through the seven steps. From traditional poke ingredients such as salmon or octopus to original ones like snail and abalone slices, there is something for everyone. Apart from Hawaiian poke, there are burgers, fries, and chicken too. A couple of juices and smoothies are available if you want to stick to a healthy meal.
Right in front of the cafe, there is a small table with chairs. Inside, you can find a couple of seats as well. If you wish to order your poke for takeaway, there is no better place in the area to have a peaceful lunch than Lou Lim Loc Park.
Hawaiian Poke Bowl Kam Fung Design & Production, 46 Patio da Eterna Uniao, Macau, +853 6597 2785, www.facebook.com/HPB.MACAU
